Traveling in our motorhome with my husband and two dogs is an adventure no matter where the destination happens to be. This year is my fifth trip to the Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas. We have gone every other year and this is our third one in the RV. It's a long, bumpy ride with frequent stops at local quilt shops and pit stops for the dogs. There is lots of storage for all of the fabrics and other treasures we purchase, which is a big advantage to flying to Houston or taking the train. Riding the rails was a huge mistake for us, and more expensive than flying. None of the Amtrak stations are close to any quilt or fabric shops, the trip is long and I didn't get any sleep the entire journey. Arriving in Houston totally wiped out is not the way to go. We flew home after the quilt show was over. There was no way we were getting back onto the train home. So far, this trip has been a lazy one on old historic Route 66. We stayed overnight in Kingman, AZ., Winslow, AZ., Santa Fe and Albuquerque, and 2 nights in Roswell, NM so far. The owners of the quilt shops that we have been to say that this year has been a great one for their businesses--much better than last year. Unfortunately, my wallet is not doing quite as well with the cost of fabric and notions being so expensive. The prices don't stop me from buying, but I have become a more discriminating shopper.
We still have a week of traveling through Texas before arriving in Houston. (It's Oct. 26 as I write this.) I need to do my best to save my shopping for the vendors at the show. And I will spend a little time looking at the quilts on display. Life is good, but the motorhome is getting a bit cramped with the four of us. And bags of fabric, and patterns, and notions and. . .
Jeanette Blackburn. Editor